Continuing Mounjaro...part 18

[ObsidianTree]

Please note: Mounjaro will only be be prescribed initially if your BMI is above 30. If you have additional health conditions you can get the medication with a BMI 27. (Prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems)

Mumsnet does not allow promo codes. Please do not post any. If you want one, ask and someone will PM you a code or there are now threads on the promo page that have codes for Mounjaro.

Pointers for newbies:

1 - For taking your first dose you need to twist the pen a lot to get to 1! Make sure the needle is twisted on tightly. Priming will help confirm if the needle is on securely and not faulty.

2 - When injecting, hold down the button until the number goes back to 0. Once at 0, keep holding down the button and count to 5 with the needle still in so no medication is lost!

3 - Your first dose may not have an immediate effect. For some people the effects build slowly. It could take 3 or 4 days to notice anything, it could take a few weeks. Some people don't feel the meds working until they get to 5mg. See titration chart which shows how the medication builds up in your system. Also below you can plot the effect of your doses.
glp1plotter.com/

4 - 2.5mg isn't a therapeutic dose, meaning you aren’t meant to lose on 2.5mg. You need to start on 2.5mg to get your body used to the drug and gradually introduce it into your system and get used to any side effects.

5 - Not everyone loses a lot in the first few weeks. Don't feel discouraged if you don't lose a lot initially. Again, you might need a higher dose to start losing. Also, inches can be lost without anything showing on the scales. Start your journey by taking measurements and check them as you go along.

6 - If you do lose a lot in the first few weeks, please don't assume you will continue losing at this rate. The first few weeks it is usually water weight that is lost, after that a good weight loss is about 2lbs a week. Some weeks you might not lose anything, but this is ok too…again, taking measurements might show inches lost instead.

7 - Some people find that they don't need to go up a pen dose each month if the current pen dosage is working well for them. If you are unsure when to go up, speak to your prescriber.

8 - If you are having bad side effects after titrating up or you are struggling to eat your calories each day, your dose may be too high so should consider lowering your dose. Speak to your prescriber if unsure.

9 - Don't be afraid to feel hungry. It is entirely normal and healthy to feel hungry. Just eat something. Treat it as an opportunity to start good habits around hunger. Eat a nice balanced snack or a meal if it's a meal time. It's ok.

10 - Constipation, coldness, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, aches, are side effects. There may be other side effects also. Read info here :

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15481/pil#about-medicine

11 - Taking Mounjaro can stop birth control from being effective. If you are on birth control, consider extra protection if you aren't planning on conceiving anytime soon!

12 - Once you take your first dose you can choose to keep your pen in the fridge or somewhere else. It's up to you.

13 - Don't reuse any needles as this could risk infection. If you damage a needle or one isn't working, you can buy a pack of about 100 spares. https://www.chemist-4-u.com/carepoint-pen-needles-31g-4mm-pack-of-100?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH51rLZBVFQxuvS7mDJooegtK8BMiyT0PwREMRHhH_1atfQIo8TEbsmkaAkA0EALw_wcB

Also there is a 5th dose in each pen. To extract it you can either try a hard twist or use an insulin needle.
https://medbasic.co.uk/bd-micro-fine-30g-1ml-syringes-needles

14 - Protein is important as eating less protein can cause muscle wastage and hair loss.

Some natural sources of protein:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321522#high-protein-foods

15 - You can use supplements, some that people use are magnesium(for sleep and constipation), protein(to reduce muscle wastage), collagen (skin elasticity), aloe vera(for constipation), psylum husks(fibre for constipation), electrolytes.

16 - Drink lots of water. Water helps with the weight loss. Try and drink at least 2ltrs a day.

17 - Does it makes any difference where you inject? yes it does! Drugs get absorbed at different rates depending on injection site

In order of fastest absorption, it goes:
• Tummy
• Arms
• Thighs
further reading about injection sites and the effects: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316618

18 - Abdominal side-effects are much easier to control with smaller meals. For example, having 4 small meals in the day vs 2 big meals can have an improvement in nausea and burps.

19 - You can track your calories / protein on apps such as My fitnessPal, Carb Manager or Nutracheck. Nutracheck is quite useful and easy to find foods /build recipes.

20 - Some of the places you can order from are:

MedExpress:
2.5mg and 5mg. £149.99. 7.5mg £169.99, 10mg £189.99. 12.5mg £209.99. 15mg £209.99 Coupon codes no longer working!

The Family Chemist:
2.5mg and 5mg £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £169, 12.5mg £194, 15mg £199

Zava medical:
2.5mg £139, 5mg £139, 7.5mg £169, 10mg £189. 12.5mg £204. 15mg £204. Zava offer refer a friend discount of 15% off. Ask for a code on here.

Simple online pharmacy:
£149 2.5mg, £149 5mg, £169 7.5mg £189 10mg

Bolt pharmacy:
2.5mg £149, 5mg £149. 7.5mg £169, 10mg £179, 12.5mg £199, 15mg £199

Asda:
2.5mg and 5mg £179. 7.5mg £189, 10mg £189, 12.5mg £204 15mg £204

There are others not listed.

21- You will still be prescribed Mounjaro when your BMI falls below 30. However, it may be harder to move suppliers once your BMI is below 30 if you wanted to move.

22 - Worried about your supply being cut off when you get to a healthy BMI? Below is some info on some places maintenance plans.

The Family chemist :Would consult you as approached healthy BMI to discuss maintenance under close supervision(if you started with family chemist)
Curate: up to 2 years
Cloud: up to 2 years
Boots: Cut off at BMI 23
Asda: Cut off at a healthy BMI
Pharmacy2u: Will supply for maintenance
Bolt:Individual assessment once BMI 22 and does offer maintenance
Zava:Once healthy BMI will stop prescribing this treatment
Med Express: Now saying they support maintenance upto 2 years.

23 - If you want to switch suppliers, make sure you have pics of your Mounjaro box with your name and dose. This will come in useful when other suppliers ask for evidence.

1st thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5007744-mourjano-starting-soon?page=1

2nd thread to 9th thread, get link from thread 10

10th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5080755-continuing-mounjaro-thread-10?page=1

11th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5085436-continuing-mounjaro-thread-11?page=1

12th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5090788-continuing-mounjaro-thread-12?page=1

13th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5096704-continuing-mounjaropart-13?page=1

14th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5102149-continuing-mounjaropart-14?page=1

15th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5107426-continuing-mounjaropart-15?page=1

16th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5115015-continuing-mounjaropart-16?page=1

17th thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5122095-continuing-mounjaropart-17?page=1

Thread for newbies just starting out in July:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight-loss-injections/5101435-mounjaro-july-2024

Video on how to inject:

I ordered from MedExpress on Tuesday. My prescription still has not been authorised.

@VioletsHeart I have a gym in my garage - DH uses it all the time - I did start weight training but after an injury and then being so tired with mounjaro, I gradually stopped. I really have no excuse now though, and I promise to go Monday!

The 10mg is kicking my arse! I went and got some cyclizine from the pharmacy for the nausea and it's really helping.

Bleugh.

@Buffypaws omg how hideous and I’m so sorry, but as ever, the way you put it made me snort laughing!

Thanks I didn’t see the thing I’m curious about though!

if a pen is meant to be discarded after 30 days when are people using the 5th dose?

@Eyf you take the doses on days 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 so all doses are taken within 30 days.

@Buffypaws when you say you are nothing presumably that's an exaggeration as we should still be eating on Mounjaro. Just less and more nutritious food. Hope you feel better soon.

I ordered from medexpress on Thursday and prescription approved today

I’m such an idiot 😂 thanks! I’ll definitely be utilising that dose!

Hi @cappycap - above is my post regarding Eli Lilly’s advice about receiving a warm pen. It should be okay as long as the pen didn’t reach +30c. You don’t have to use it within 30 days either, just use it before the expiry date.

@Greyrockin

Thank you so much for posting.
I will use the pen when the time comes.
So much conflicting info about which isn't great.
I message cloud on their chat facility about it asking them to rectify so we will see what they say. Maybe they will quote the same as yourself.

Hello

I have just completed my first week on Mounjaro and found it really helpful with the food noise.

my starting weight was 14st 4lbs and I lost 5lbs in the first week, so nice motivation to see 13 when I stood on the scales.

That is great motivation!

Can I ask if you had any side effects during the first week? My first pen just arrived and we are off to a family festival next weekend. Wondering if I should delay starting til we come back, just in case.

I've got a bit of a dilemma.

I'm approx 10lbs away from my goal weight, maybe a bit more now as it hasn't been a good week.

I've got a new 7.5mg and a new 10mg in the fridge and I need to start one of them Monday. Whichever one I don't use now, will be used to step down / maintain for a bit.

The 7.5 has been 'working' in the sense that I'm losing the 1lb pw on average but it's gotten difficult! I'm at the end of my second 7.5 pen and I don't have much if any appetite suppression now and I'm only marginally more full post meal than I was pre MJ. I think.

It feels like I've got through on will power alone for the past few weeks.

I'm leaning toward doing the 10mg to 'give me a hand' for the month, even though I'll be stepping down afterwards and going lower again as I reach maintenance.

The the logical route right?

I'd take the 10mg @BlackFriYay. You could always use the bonus dose on the 7.5 to do some 10mgs from that as well.

Great idea, thank you!

The only symptoms I have found is I have been burping, no other symptoms yet, although aware that can change as the dose increases.

Thanks I know not everyone's experience is the same but it's helpful to get an idea

Evening all, just wondered if everyone sticks rigidly to same day per week injecting? I am going on holiday on my injection day so would be useful to take that dose the evening before- but obviously dont want to get any side effects!

PMSL well gotta have a sense of humour about it. Like battery acid from both ends I was in agony. It’s fine now.

@Choux a slight exaggeration. I am in a bad way tbh. But I’m eating more than this time last week.

@loverrr I change here and there. Quite often I’m a day late and last week a few days.

50 lb down since mid march. BMI 22
These size 8 levis have been in my loft for about 15years! I couldn't bring myself to fling them out as they cost a fortune at the time!

Was so excited to get them on.
But I hate them.
They had tight thighs and gave a nice booty!

Not any more! I have totally changed shape to a bumless wonder! And still can't shift a bit of belly fat.

But still, when I say I couldn't get these past my knees before MJ, I wouldn't be exaggerating, so I will take the win.

@Buffypaws I don't want to alarm you but one of the US weight loss doctors I follow on TikTok warns against both of the things you mention:

1. Having a dose high enough to suppress your eating - he says it should be reduced to the point where appetite is controlled but not suppressed so you can eat healthily and you still get some normal hunger
2. Drinking alcohol in any appreciable amounts (I'm sure we Brits do that more than his patients!) His view is that not eating predisposes to gallstones which can increase the risk of pancreatitis and alcohol also puts the pancreas under strain and further increases that risk. Having said that, battery acid from both ends sounds like a salutary learning experience

@loverrr I have changed my day. I started on a Monday but really wanted Fridays as it works better for me so I brought it forward by one day a week for the first few. I had no appreciable effects on 2.5mg so it made no difference

I have had 3 pens replaced for being warm. They try to palm you of but I go full terrier mode and they give in after a few spicy emails about their responsibilities as dispensing pharmacys !

Too bloody expensive to be told "it's fine"

@QueenOfHiraeth thanks I’m not too alarmed though as it is mainly the broken heart suppressing right now. I usually struggle to keep my calories reasonable (but of course far less than without MJ!) I didn’t drink much - I don’t usually drink anything as the drug def affects my tolerance. But actually it sounds like it’s safer to drink nothing at all. I don’t even get anything out of it at the moment I just sort of go to sleep! Was only because I was at a social gathering and when I got home the bastard who dumped me gave me all the port and I was too sad to say no. He’s feeling even more guilty after the loud 4am vomiting.